8.31.2009

Coming This Week: A Shot of Matt Fraction, Two Pints of Brian Wood, And Two Hits of Paul Pope

Every week I review Diamond's “New Releases” to determine what I’ll definitely be buying sight unseen, what I’m interested in enough to do a quick scan of at the LCS to see if it can win me over, and note any other items that catch my eye. Here’s a look…

Buying:

Strange Tales #1 (Marvel): The only place you can possibly find Paul Pope, Peter Bagge, Dash Shaw, James Kochalka, Johnny Ryan, Michael Kupperman, Nick Bertozzi, and Jason all working subversively on Disney – err, Marvel properties.

DMZ TPB: Volume 7: War Powers (DC/Vertigo): It’s sometimes hard to believe that this title is already on Volume 7; it’s going to be up there with Sandman and 100 Bullets as far as modern Vertigo epics go.

Northlanders #20 (DC/Vertigo): Interesting to see what Brian Wood and Davide Gianfelice are going to pull off with original series protagonist Sven.

Wednesday Comics #9 (DC): At this point, it’s basically a $4 Paul Pope book with a couple of other minor treats thrown in, and I'm good with that.

Sweet Tooth #1 (DC/Vertigo): I have to admit that I was underwhelmed by Jeff Lemire’s original hardcover The Nobody and was not taken with the Sweet Tooth preview that ran in some other Vertigo books, but for $1 I’ll certainly give it another shot.

Invincible Iron Man #17 (Marvel): For my money, the best long form story that Marvel is currently publishing.

Considering:

Greek Street #3 (DC/Vertigo): I’m intrigued by Greek Street, but certainly not sold at this point. I’m not sure if I’ll give it one more issue to try and convert me.

Wonderful Wizard of Oz HC (Marvel): This is a beautiful looking book from Eric Shanower and Skottie Young, but I’m not sure if I can get over the $29.99 price tag.

Hotwire #4 (Radical Publishing): I’m interested to see how Steve Pugh wraps up this Warren Ellis concept, but at this point I might just wait until the collected edition, which is supposed to have loads of extra material.

Noting:

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep #3 (Boom! Studios) is still going on, and despite enjoying the text pieces at the end, the big price tag and lackluster adaptations just weren’t doing it for me. I never really warmed to the story in Dead Irons HC (Dynamite Entertainment), but some will find Jason Shawn Alexander’s art worth the price of admission alone. Young Liars #18 (DC/Vertigo) is, I believe, the final issue of the series. I tried the first issue and wasn’t sold, then it just wasn’t on my radar anymore; it’s received pretty favorable reviews and will be one of those books I add to my dollar bin list. [UPDATED]: Good God, how could I miss Justice League: Cry for Justice #3 (DC)??? It's the book that everyone loves to hate. Well, hate and mock. Err, mock and mash-up. Mash-up and then point and laugh at. Yeah, all that. It's so bad, it's good. I hope there's an Absolute Edition that eventually includes director's style notes comprised of the best of the snarky blogger commentary.

Strange Friends All Surround Me

I also caught this in Previews; Book 05 of Wasteland will collect all of the one-shot interlude issues to date, including my two favorites, Carla Speed McNeil's issue and the recent #25 that was full color and double length. It'll be a treat to have all of these wonderful world-building issues in one handy trade.

Everybody's Talking About Blowing Up The Neighborhood

This should be pretty fun; S.W.O.R.D from Kieron (Phonogram) Gillen and Steven (Five Fists of Science) Saunders.

8.27.2009

8.26.09 Reviews (Part 2)

Wednesday Comics #8 (DC): Batman artistically possesses accomplished coloring, sly use of perspective and shadow, but is a little middling on story despite some dots connecting. There's clearly a lot happening between issues. Grade B+. Kamandi was a little hard to slog through this time with dense text, but still visually stunning to take in. Grade A-. Superman does nothing except repeat itself, yup, we’ve got Supes fighting an alien and then whining about being an alien… again. Hardly a definitive or memorable take on the character. Grade C-. Deadman is still nice to look at. I always seem to be drawn to the page layouts, but can’t make heads or tails out of the story. Something about the rune-stone, hellfire, Kalak, and Nanda Parbat. Bo-ring. Grade C. Green Lantern has a nice display of not only Hal’s power as GL, but his humanity and creativity as well. There's a real sense of movement to the action. Grade B+. Metamorpho brings us a cool logo placement and the Periodic Table of Elements page that Mike Allred teased at the SDCC Wednesday Comics Panel. It’s not quite what I expected, but is sort of admirable for the sheer energy and thought it took to pull it off. Though the Java jokes at the end are just bombing. Grade B+. Teen Titans has no story to speak of, just random names littered about from Titans history, cluttered panels, lifeless expressions, and Galloway’s trademark skimpy backgrounds. Grade D. Strange Adventures combines classy Paul Pope lines like “the subtle arts of rhetoric and persuasion” with his heavy, inky lines and effectively captures DC’s Bronze Age Kirby glee. Grade A. Supergirl feels a bit like filler again, not nearly as funny as the previous two issues, and is merely cute again, minus the actual funny. Though it was sort of endearing to see Kara close her knees to avoid an up-skirt shot. Grade B. Metal Men feels repetitious, flat, and boring, despite some action, and is just not progressing. I sat there staring at it; it stared back. Grade C. Wonder Woman is getting… better is a strong word, so let’s go with less awful. I was able to read about half of it this time before tuning out. It had only 22 panels instead of the typical 60. Though the middle 1/3rd page panel was really odd, the coloring continues to be more accessible and I could actually see what was going on in some of the miniscule panels. At this rate, I might actually like this strip by issue 12. Grade C. Sgt. Rock still moves at a fairly slow pace, but every line brings meaning. This is a good story for aspiring artists to study, noting the anatomy of the figures and general panel composition. Grade B. The Flash stuff about the speed force (or whatever) is not terribly interesting, but visually this is still getting stronger and growing on me. There’s some wonderful detail in Brendan Fletcher’s pencils and interesting perspective choices. Grade B+. Demon & Catwoman makes some attempts at alluring dialogue which come off as cheesy. There’s odd aerial perspective (check out panel 4) which is awkward and off-putting. The story is still… umm, well I can’t tell you a thing about it. Grade D+. Hawkman has some ships around the JLA Satellite that look a bit Trek-ish for my taste, but it was definitely a treat to see Baker’s Batman during this pause issue. Grade A-. Once again, our visual stack goes a little something like this;

Strange Adventures
Kamandi
Hawkman
The Flash
Batman
Metamorpho
Green Lantern

Supergirl
Sgt. Rock
Wonder Woman
Deadman
Metal Men
Superman
Demon & Catwoman
Teen Titans


That gives us 47% in the top tier thanks to The Flash and Metamorpho making some interesting jumps, 13% in the rapidly diminishing middle thanks to Supergirl slipping and Sgt. Rock staying flat, with 40% bringing up the rear because of the usual suspects. Overall quality was down quite a bit this issue, straight averages coming out to a Grade C-, getting the bump for experimentation to achieve a Grade B-.

8.26.2009

8.26.09 Reviews (Part 1)

Scalped #31 (DC/Vertigo): It’s amazing how, with a single line, Jason Aaron can capture the spirit of Scalped. “All roads lead back to that day” references the agents murdered in ’75 and showcases his ability as a writer to use one catalyzing event to set things in motion for 30+ issues now and build a universe around it. It’s also great to see even relatively minor characters like Granny pop with life and fleshed out personality quirks. The character studies continue with Shunka depicted as a pretty dope right hand man, capable of handling details and looking out for the boss. He’s so capable in fact, that it makes me wonder if Aaron’s got some crafty surprise in store to spin with this character; he’s so integral to the operation that if he turned out to be a cop or something down the road, it’d be earth-shattering. The Nitz vs. Shunka chess game, with Dash and Red Crow as pawns in the middle, is such a wonderfully screwed up situation that it allows even a lowly meth dealer to have some leverage and a chip to play in the big game. Aaron’s ear for dialogue is still a joy: Red Crow’s “Heard from who?” gets the Nitz retort of “The fucking grapevine,” and I just loved that crisp exchange. It all begins the inevitable slide toward chaos as Dash is seen about to make a play, Carol’s obviously in despair, the Hmongs are descending, and everything’s converging on this arc, feeling like all hell is about to break loose. Jason Aaron is a master at building tension. Scalped continues to be an all around solid package, even the Vertigo Voices page is railroaded by Will Dennis this issue for a behind the scenes chat with Jock on cover design. R.M. Guera’s gritty art is alive with detail; dogs and dumpsters cluttering up the parking lots in a way that infuses a grounded sense of realism into a sensational bit of plotting. Grade A+.

Batman & Robin #3 (DC): What I’ve come to enjoy holistically about this introductory arc from Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely is the ascension of Dick Grayson and all that entails. Dick is now Batman, Dick is now the father figure, Dick is now the one with the responsibility, it’s now up to Dick to nurture the relationships with Gordon and Alfred, Dick is now the one mentoring a brash youth, with the added weight of raising his father’s son, Dick is the leader being challenged, and Dick is both afraid of becoming Bruce, but also desperately wants to make him proud. All said, if Damian turns out half as good as Dick did, then he’s doing ok in my book. And while Damian is still willful (“It’s Robin & Batman from now on.”), there are glimmers of hope for him where his attitude seems to soften slightly, with lines like “Did - - did you just save my life?” G’Mo delivers a really torrid, demented, disturbed antagonist in Professor Pyg, part Hannibal Lecter, part Kevin Spacey’s John Doe, and a little of The Joker thrown in for good measure, who dances around in his self-imagined spotlight wielding makeshift medical instruments. Yeah, this guy makes your skin crawl. Damian probably sums him up best with “you just redefined wrong.” And F’Quit plays his part, complimenting this with broken, skewed panels that are just as awry as the creative team wants us to perceive Pyg. This issue has typical Morrisonian bits like the “aerosol narcotic,” the “addiction you can catch,” but also takes things a bit deeper. I was particularly drawn to Gordon’s line “I hate it here. They should have let this whole damn place burn to the ground.” For me, this felt like a subtle and nuanced callback to his awful circus experiences in the seminal work The Killing Joke. As we come to a close, it’s actually pretty depressing to think that Philip Tan is up next on art chores, nothing against the guy, but following Quitely is not the most enviable position for any creator to be in. I’m not thrilled about the inclusion of The Red Hood in the upcoming arc, but hey, you gotta’ trust Morrison here. The multiple endings annoy, feeling both a bit random and rushed, but there’s a cool bonding scene between Batman and Gordon, and overall this three issue arc was kind of fun. It was like being in the back seat with your high school girlfriend, in and out, quick and dirty, but you’d do it all over again. Grade A.

I Am Legion #5 (DDP/Humanoids): There’s something about the way that John Cassaday draws eyes, which is simultaneously slightly disturbing and absolutely gorgeous. The whites are vibrant, the color of the iris penetrating, the smudged ink lines on the bottom of the eye provide a world weary sensibility, and the overall shapes carry so much emotion. I enjoy the intrigue and fast pace of the story, but it just goes to show how easy it is to get lost in appreciation for the art and the subtle stylings of one of the modern masters of the craft. Fabien Nury’s penultimate installment centers on a rushed investigation and I appreciated the thematic consistency of the symbol of the Strigoi being found in floating blood, a stylized dagger, the skin of a man, and the very design of the book itself. The church shootout is a strong point and I also appreciate the way that Nury doesn’t insult his readers with superfluous caption boxes and exposition. It’s up to the reader to follow all of the plot threads and characters, either retaining information or re-reading previous issues to play along. That level of density might be slightly jarring at times, but it’s a level of sophistication not often seen. If I have to find one other slight detractor, it’s the sour house ad on the last page bearing the instantly inaccurate “Final Issue - July 2009.” Interesting how #6 could come out in July when I’m just now holding #5 in my hands at the end of August. Grade A-.

Detective Comics #856 (DC): The Latin words “Human Change Animal Valor” adorning the book make for an interesting cover composition, and some interesting theories about Whisper A’Daire and the Religion of Crime are already flying around the interwebs. That cover is sort of emblematic of the entire issue this time around, in that it’s (still) beautiful to behold, but the story intrigue has grown tremendously. JH Williams III brings what he learned with Alan Moore on Promethea, giving us his trademark inventive page layouts, unique sense of design, and delicious manipulation of panel borders. The conversations between Kate and her dad, both strong personalities, continue to be engaging. I thought it was interesting that Rucka’s script makes great effort here to let us know it’s fully entrenched in the DC/Bat-Universe, planting otherwise throwaway dialogue containing “Mister Grayson” and everyone’s favorite “Commissioner” at a GCPD Charity Ball. It’s almost as if Rucka is deliberately saying “Yes, the issue is set in the DCU, the one where the two lesbians share a dance!” I loved the unexpected little Flamebird cameo and the possible promise of more to come with her. It’s a fun little Easter egg hunt, complete with Maggie Sawyer in a “meet-cute” that’s choreographed insanely well in a visual sense. There are little areas of focused attention inside the circles of the musical notes. That Jim Williams. I tell you, this guy might have a future in comics. Endless tricks up his sleeve, that one. He then follows it right up with an interesting way of depicting the mutated alter egos of the “True Believers.” There are suddenly a lot of moving parts to this mystery that intrigues as it slowly unfolds, becoming more and more engaging and not just simply visually entertaining. As for the back-up story, I could still really do without it. It’s all harmless I suppose, but Cully Hamner’s stiff blocky art I’m just not a fan of. I’m not even really reading The Question anymore; I just skim through it reminding myself what a downer it is to have it touching the Batwoman story at all. Gary Frank’s art sure is purdy, but do we really need another Superman origin story? What an unnecessary snoozer. If I grade these separately, The Question would probably net a C- at best, while this particular issue of Batwoman would certainly achieve A+ territory. It’s a shame too, like I said last ish, the back-up is weighing down a near perfect package. Do I average those out to a Grade B? The extra stuff takes up nearly half the book (really, look at where the staple fold is), so even if I weight the two grades, we’d arguably be at a Grade B+. I hope that DC collects these separately as they did with the Tales of the Unexpected series containing a pitiful and unmemorable Spectre story and the wonderful Dr. 13: Architecture & Mortality. My, what a dilemma here.

8.25.2009

“I'm Not Sure How You Pronounce It Or Anything, But I, Uh, I Believe It's Called Ménage à Trois?"

If anyone has yet to check out "Abhay Khosla’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula," it’s freakin’ hilarious and I couldn’t resist posting about it. The fifth and final issue can be found here, with links to the first four atop the page. Highly recommended.

8.24.2009

Coming This Week: Of Bat-People, Injuns, and Experiments

Every week I review Diamond's “New Releases” to determine what I’ll definitely be buying sight unseen, what I’m interested in enough to do a quick scan of at the LCS to see if it can win me over, and note any other items that catch my eye. Here’s a look…

Buying:

Detective Comics #856 (DC): The Question back-up story still does absolutely nothing for me, but that’s hardly the main reason to be buying this book. Look at that art!

Batman & Robin #3 (DC): With issue #2 coming out July 1st, I guess this is still technically on time with an August cover date, but it sure gives the impression of being late. The perceived lateness isn’t helping matters much considering Quitely isn’t even on board for the entire run (two different artists is really going to bother the obsessive-compulsive in me when it comes time to collect this in handsome hardcovers), but it is off to a great start.

Scalped #31 (DC): If this book gets cancelled because not enough people are reading it, I will actually scalp some muthafuckas. Random digression triggered due to Hmong gangs, but I saw Gran Torino recently and really enjoyed the performances.

Wednesday Comics #8 (DC): I realized that I was already starting to get sad because it feels like this is almost over. Aww, tear.

Considering:

X-Force #18 (Marvel): This is one of those books that’s really on the bubble. It started strong and there’s a few choice moments here and there, but for the most part it’s been a disappointment for the last six months or so. I think I might be buying it out of sheer inertia and that's gotta' stop.

Buck Rogers #3 (Dynamite Entertainment): This book is nowhere near as good as the praise it receives, but damn those Cassady covers are a confectionary delight.

Noting:

Oh well, so much for Archaia getting the second hardcover volume of The Killer out in August; according to Diamond's list, the window for that little parlor trick has now elapsed. As long as they get it out this year though, I think I’ll be satisfied at this point. New Mutants #4 (Marvel) and Secret Warriors #7 (Marvel) are both books I want to read, but I just can’t will myself to purchase them. They seem like suitable bathroom reading material, and they’re both still $2.99 which helps, but I don’t picture myself actually wanting to keep them or upgrade to collected editions eventually, which is really a part of my new criteria for buying something in the first place. X-Force/Cable: Messiah War HC also ships this week. There are some cool individual moments to be found in this mess, but overall there isn’t much in the way of actual story progression or resolution, and for a $39.99 book I’d expect something along those lines. At this point, I think I’d sell all of my single issues that comprise this book for like $10 if anyone cared to plunk down a crisp Alexander Hamilton. It looks like some stores are also getting I Am Legion #5 (DDP/Humanoids) this week (depending on distributor), but no idea if I'll see it at my LCS or not (which usually means no).

8.21.2009

Calling All Artists

If there are any artists out there interested in taking on a spec script, I have another completed that's ready to see the light of day. Blood Orange is designed to be an 8 page mini-comic at about 4 ¼ x 5 ½ size. It features a week-in-the-life of a down-on-their-luck family in the late 70’s. It’s mostly interior and exterior house shots, talking heads, and one big-ass orange tree. I have thumbnail layouts for two pages in particular, but the rest is open to interpretation and would be a fun little project that'll work in either black and white or full color. If you, or anyone you know, might be interested in collaborating on a project like this, either leave me a message in the comments section or email me at jgiampaoli@mcasd.org and we’ll work it from there.

Thanks!

8.19.2009

8.19.09 Reviews

Days Missing #1 (Archaia): I was a little confused by the pricing here, the Dale Keown cover had the .99 cent price tag that was advertised in various spots on the web, and the Frazer Irving cover had a $3.99 price tag – yet as far as I could tell the contents were identical(?). That aside, this tale about a mysterious bloke traveling through time “shepherding humanity” at critical junctures showed some degree of promise. The language was electric at times: “…cordoned off in a pandemic hot zone” or “redacted from your history.” Other times, the prose felt well researched, but started to drown under the weight of its own industry jargon and showed off some very coincidental turns simply to advance the plot. The dark tone was nice and certainly complimented by Irving’s syrupy art. His wavy inky lines felt almost as if they were moving just on the edge of my peripheral vision. The rotating creative teams on each issue are an odd choice, while my interest is mildly piqued, I’m not sure the story is strong enough to carry my interest into the next issue with guys like Chris Burnham and David Hine on the roster. Grade B+.

Punisher #8 (Marvel): There’s some nonsensical technology in here – even for a Marvel book – but this was still fairly entertaining. Remender’s script is competent, but occasionally slips into clunky awkward dialogue with lines like “They left is all - - bunch of pansies.” Huat’s art is also still generally to my liking, but his fine line detail sometimes makes it hard to distinguish all of the myriad bad guys from each other. The coloring also made most of his panels feel very washed out in this particular issue. There was a fun moment with Punisher delivering a brass knuckled uppercut to Thor, but it wasn’t really Thor and it wasn’t really that cool. Overall, this issue didn’t have the bite that’s drawn me to previous issues. Once again, I’m wondering if I should keep buying this or if it’s slipped into skippable mediocre territory. Grade B.

Wednesday Comics #7 (DC): Batman opens with some great perspective shots and Eduardo Risso’s art is generally strong enough to make me want to see it on an ongoing Batman title. Grade B+. Kamandi once again shows off the pencils of Ryan Sook’s career, with expansive panels that stretch out to the horizon and drop dead gorgeous women. Grade A. Superman fights another alien. Next issue will probably see the needle scratch over to another disjointed scene with him talking to Lois or something. It’s still colored well though. Grade C+. Deadman has a very attractive page layout and figures reminiscent of Darwyn Cooke, but I still have no idea what the story is supposed to be about. Grade C+. Green Lantern grants my wish from last issue and finally features plenty of the titular character in full fight mode, depicting the ring's abilities, and a great looking Hal, particularly in that fantastic fourth panel. Grade B+. Metamorpho… it’s almost as if Neil Gaiman woke up from some self-amused funk and decided to stop screwing around and get on with a story. More happens in this issue than all of the previous ones put together. For a minute it felt as if we were finally on track with flirty Element Girl banter, but then it all gets ruined with the Java gag at the end. “My bad?” Seriously? Wow. Grade B-. Teen Titans is a bit more coherent plotting wise, and there’s a decent bit of internal monologuing with Robin’s self-consciousness around Starfire, but the other characterization seems off. Since when are Wonder Girl and Nightwing so tight? Galloway’s art isn’t just cartoony, but goofy. Two circles for Robin’s mask, skimpy details, washed out colors, rushed looking rendering, and a hideous last shot with Nightwing’s foot bending in an anatomically impossible fashion and somehow longer than his thigh. Wha…? Grade C-. Strange Adventures has Paul Pope giving us a great Dr. Fate appearance, The Black Dog of Fate, a crimson dream sequence, and planes of reality bounding across the page. There were some straight wicked details in Dr. Fate’s helmet, his collar piece, and the streaming tears of a child. This was brilliant as usual. Grade A+. Supergirl made me say “Yeah, more cranky Aquaman!” I wish he’d remained a dick to the end, with lines like “Listen up, little girl, I’m only going to tell you this once,” but admittedly I was feeling sorry for Kara by the time she started tearing up. I would TOTALLY buy an ongoing “Aquaman: Helpless Hero” or “Aquaman: The Fish Whisperer” title from this creative team. What a treat. Dig those sideburns too. I hope there’s more humor like this to be found in future issues, if not more Aquaman. Grade A. Metal Men still features strong art carrying a mediocre script, but the Battlestar Galactica reference helps a little. Grade B. Wonder Woman might be improving, the coloring was actually discernible and I managed to read a panel or two for once. The art seems a little less blurry, but at this point who cares? It’s another 38 vertical panels with cluster headache inducing font. Grade C. Sgt. Rock is certainly taking its time building toward (what I’m assuming is) a big finale on the horizon. But hey, it’s Kubert and it looks beautiful in this format. Grade B. The Flash & Iris West might actually be the most underrated strip in this whole lot. Kerschl delivers a very engaging story and Fletcher’s art is full of detail, energy, and a vintage design sense, nailing the action scenes as well as the talky bits. This one’s really growing on me. Grade A. Demon & Catwoman is just… God, I don’t like this strip. It’s so boring. I’ve never been given a reason to care about these people or whatever’s going on. It just feels like random scenes out of different books that have been poorly edited together. Grade D. Hawkman ends this issue with art that suddenly looks a little grainy, but then… Dinosaur Island?! Yeah! Grade A. So, as has become customary let’s do our little visual stack and see if anything has changed;

Strange Adventures
Kamandi
Supergirl
Flash & Iris West
Hawkman
Batman
Green Lantern
Sgt. Rock
Metal Men
Metamorpho
Superman
Deadman
Wonder Woman
Teen Titans
Demon & Catwoman


By my subjective assessment, we’ve got 40% in the top tier, 47% in the middle, and only 13% on the bottom tier. This is due to some previous stinkers clawing their way up to the middle and then Supergirl and Flash making surprise jumps up into the elite. Averaging out the grades we get a 75% (or straight C) overall, which is up slightly from last week. If we adjust up for the killer format, we come in at a Grade B.

Project Superpowers: Meet the Bad Guys: The Green Lama & Bloodlust: Volume 1 #1 (Dynamite Entertainment): First of all, that title is just ridiculous. But honestly, I didn’t even want to buy this book and I'm just too tired to go into the long-winded story about how Sea Donkey tricked me into buying it through a bizarre series of events. I will just say that if you’re in retail, it’s nice to acknowledge the presence of your customers. Me setting my books (the ones with all the crinkled spines, like someone sat on them) on the counter and staring at you for five minutes while you silently type away on your computer and avert your eyes is generally an indication that I’m ready to check out. And when I say “computer,” I mean the greasy morass of wires connecting your POS system, Commodore 64 monitor, Duck Hunt scanner gun, Apple IIe desktop, 1989 credit card machine, and all the Gama Go Yeti dolls behind the counter. The debacle at Sea Donkey’s Oceanic Safari (aka: my weekly trip to the LCS) makes me so pissed that I forget to leave the book I don't want on the counter for him as a little rejection present; my friend Michael does this with him, if something goes awry he just leaves a stack of books on the counter and walks out, which I think is hysterical, a sort of ding-dong-ditch of retailing. So anyway, here I am reading some book with 14 words in the title. Oh… the book? Yeah, it isn’t very good. Dynamite’s still got slick production quality, but I usually try to avoid all this Alex Ross wannabe Watchmen rehash, even though Joe Casey occasionally does some scripting. Jonathan Lau’s art is generally pleasant during the Green Lama sequence, but the second Bloodlust shows up it quickly degenerates into hoary gratuitous bad girl art and skimpy backgrounds depicting verbose exposition about some half-hearted revenge plot. Unoriginal and bland earns a Grade C-.

Calling All Artists

If there are any artists out there interested in taking on a spec script, I have one completed that I’d really like to get into print. The Dawn Patrol is a 32 page one-shot about my grandfather’s experiences in WWII, while he was in the Army Air Corps stationed in England. There’s one major action scene, period uniforms and vehicles, an interesting double page spread, and plenty of talking heads bits. This script will work in either black and white or full color. If you, or anyone you know, might be interested in collaborating on a project like this, either leave me a message in the comments section or email me at jgiampaoli@mcasd.org and we’ll work it from there.

Thanks!

8.18.2009

Too Hip To Be Punk, Too Punk To Be Hippie

8.17.2009

Coming This Week: Judging From This List, I’m Not Entirely Sure I Like Comics Anymore

Every week I review Diamond's “New Releases” to determine what I’ll definitely be buying sight unseen, what I’m interested in enough to do a quick scan of at the LCS to see if it can win me over, and note any other items that catch my eye. Here’s a look…

Buying:

Wednesday Comics #7 (DC): Though the content is largely uneven, the experience of reading Wednesday Comics continues to be something that I look forward to. Sitting down in an offbeat coffee shop with my beverage of choice and flinging that sucker open is really enjoyable. It’s quite the conversation starter too.

Punisher #8 (Marvel): Even eight issues later, I often forget about it and overlook this title on the new releases list. Sometimes I even wonder why I’m still buying it, but every single issue surprises me with something subtle, causing me to return.

Considering:

Days Missing #1 (Archaia): I knew nothing about this book, but Frazer Irving’s name caught my eye. It’s apparently a project with a Roddenberry Productions property, a five issue mini-series with rotating creative teams, the first from Phil Hester and Frazer Irving, with some other notables to follow, such as Ian Edgington and Matz. For .99 cents, I’ll likely give it a spin.

Noting:

You know it’s a slow week when there really isn’t anything to even comment on. I had to run through Diamond’s list a couple of times just to find some suitable snark fodder. If the lauded Young Liars from David Lapham got cancelled, how long before Air follows? Alas, Air #12 (DC/Vertigo) is still shipping this week. Does anyone really care who the new Batgirl is? Every permutation/explanation I can think of isn’t very appealing. If you’re interested, Batgirl #1 (DC) shows her face this week. The Filthy Rich HC (DC) and Dark Entries HC (DC) make me feel as if I am now officially all noir’d out. I’m Deluxe Edition-waiting the final couple arcs of this great title, so no need to purchase Ex Machina #44 (DC/Wildstorm) as it winds down to a conclusion somewhere around #50. Not sure why anyone is still buying Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance #4 (DC) after the mini featured a couple different artists and superior Joe Casey writing can be found in Dark Reign: Zodiac (Marvel). Astonishing X-Men Premiere HC Ghost Box (Marvel) collects the (astonishingly lackluster) regular series issues 25-30 and the (astonishingly overpriced and unnecessary) two issues of the Ghost Box spin off.

8.12.2009

8.12.09 Reviews

Dark Reign: Zodiac #2 (Marvel): One of the reviewers over at CBR claimed that this was the best thing Joe Casey had written since Automatic Kafka, and I'll tell ya' I'm inclined to agree. It's full of irreverent fun and genre commentary right in Marvel's own backyard. It's hard to believe that a book with Sue and Johnny Storm, Ronin/Clint, and Wasp/Hank also comes with villains having sex, scenes that drip with strong subversive dialogue and clever personality quirks. If the first issue was largely set-up, the second one swings for the fences and knocks it out of the park. I was smiling from ear to ear as this little sex and violence dance played out. I wonder if Zodiac has an ultimate purpose to his plans that back door Osborn's entire agency and threaten to "challenge their personal belief systems" or if he "just wants to watch the forest burn," to quote Michael Caine. Osborn's messianic posing and references to The Doors lyrics culminate with... Galactus(!). Fox's pencils are visceral and lived in, able to depict a beaten Johnny Storm or believably dingy uniforms after an explosion, all with a level of awesomeness rarely seen in the Marvel U. If you're interested in seeing Joe Casey once again at the top of his game, in conspiratorial collaboration with the next Paul Pope, aka: Nathan Fox, then look no further than Dark Reign: Zodiac. Grade A+.

The Killer #10 (Archaia): Jacamon and Matz deliver the final chapter in a modern crime noir classic. What I appreciate the most about this book is its sense of inborm fatalism, with resigned lines like "even when I try to do the right thing, I end up with bodies." It has a flexible sense of morality, but it's not without its own internal code of ethics. The lush colors and energetic art from Matz help to avoid glamorizing the whole affair, allowing it to "Stay in the shadows. Always go unnoticed. It's never spectacular. It's never romantic." Jacamon is also careful to add realistic details, for example lines that differentiate between typical bullets and "armor-piercing incendiary rounds." During the epilogue sequence, the creative team uses a technique that James Cameron made famous in Titanic. By juxtaposing images, such as Rose wandering through the ship, up the staircase to find Jack at the very end, they create a mental projection called "The Great Wish." I was excited to learn that the Volume 2 Hardcover is also due out in August of this year and there's a planned six issue sequel series set for 2010. The Killer ends as it's always been, an introspective tale more about what it means to truly live your life freely and not simply survive, rather than a simple crime book. It asks the tough questions, really all you want from a modern work of art, and all I've ever really wanted from a comic. Grade A+.

DMZ #44 (DC/Vertigo): The final installment of the No Future arc really lives up to its name, with a twisty unexpected ending that is all about the protagonist getting back to what he's really been missing. Wood seeds his dialogue with chilling lines about New York becoming "another Mogadishu," which is a bitter reminder that there's an alternative to assuming order will be restored in some sort of tidy and satisfactory way. There's threads of smart ideas running all over the board, like war being filled with an amalgamation of little personal conflicts and soldiers being socialized into organizations through emotional triggers while "never preached an ideology." Wood has always been sly at pointing out that terms like "terrorist" or "opressor" or "freedom fighter" or "patriot" always depend on point of view. And like all of his variegated work, from Supermarket to Local to Northlanders, one of the themes this arc of DMZ has examined is the notion of identity. Kelly's art looks as great as ever, capturing weary wrinkled faces and dreary rainy streets with equal gusto, lending gravitas to an already taut script. Grade A.

Echo #14 (Abstract Studio): As Fast Eddy Felson said in Scorsese's The Color of Money, "you've got to be a student of human moves," and Terry Moore is just that. It's the only explanation for the absolute realism in his dialogue and lifelike expressive art. Echo remains dense with story and a clever, clear, and controlled read. I don't know how else to compliment this book. The story is entertaining and engaging, sure, but the real treat is witnessing the seminar that Moore puts on month after month for how to make stellar independent comics with quiet confidence. Aspiring creators should be lining up to study this book. Grade A.

Uncanny X-Men #514 (Marvel): This is really neither here nor there, but I gotta' say that the Utopia book dress on the cover is extremely ugly, and the quality sort of bounces back and forth from there. I like the inclusion of Cloak and Dagger, but I hate how Dodson draws Scott's visor. Scott's dialogue is essentially in character, but somehow really expository. Fraction "corrects" one of the Stepford Cuckoos as "Irma," but then refers to her as "Mindee" a page or two later, but then comes back with cool characterization like "Whatever you say, Mr. Summers..." Dodson's art is mostly serviceable, but reminds me of an M&M in a way. The thick ink line around the figures is like a hard candy coated shell that makes everything feel impenetrable and inaccessible to the audience. It was nice to see Emma as a strong field leader, but I'm still wondering what she's really up to, if Cloak and Dagger will have a change of heart and switch sides, what Beast and the Science Club are doing, and what the hell Dani is doing in Vegas. Instead of being completely intriguing, I'm starting to lean toward thinking that Fraction is once again juggling too many balls and all of the plot threads are starting to get away from him. Although the Dante Alighieri quote (translated for your enjoyment) "All Hope Abandon, Ye Who Enter In" has me hooked a little. Grade B.

Wednesday Comics #6 (DC): Batman checks in with beautiful colors and shadow work, but feels a little light with the lovely decompression of the scuffle. Grade A-. Kamandi comes at us a little high on exposition from Gibbons, but Sook's art is freakin' amazing. Grade A. Superman suffers from a supreme lack of story, one word of dialogue, and oddball scene flitting to the point of being non-sequitur, earning a Grade C+. Deadman establishes no reason for me to want to slog through all those text boxes. Grade C. Green Lantern makes me forget why the Dill side story is supposed to be important, was he in the first issue? More Green Lantern in the Green Lantern strip, please. Grade B. Metamorpho is a disjointed read, attempting too much at once. Ambition becomes crammed-in clutter with no masthead for the logo, the kid fans back sporadically, a weird board game, and Latin that I can't quite crack - "Audio Et Pareo" (is that "I Hear And Obey?"). As Gaiman's countrymen would say, this was too smart by half. Grade B-. Teen Titans has absolutely no focus and now appears to be a Blue Beetle strip. Half of the panels are devoid of backgrounds, and while the Spanish issue of Blue Beetle was cute when they did it, the mix here makes for a muddled composition consistent with all this strip has had to offer to date. Grade D. Strange Adventures sees Paul Pope capturing the duality of Adam Strange's character, part Rannian, part Earther, all in a cerebral, slightly ethereal way. There's zeta beam delusions, Machu Picchu, and vintage shots all in Pope's slick style. Grade A+. Supergirl makes a gigantic leap forward due to featuring a cranky, smart-mouthed Aquaman, clam phones, and Krypto crab fighting all at once - I just loved it. The strip is finally not just cute, but really funny. Grade A-. Metal Men comes with a big development, but the art still seems to be two steps ahead of DiDio's Silver Age script. Grade B-. Wonder Woman: Hey, it's 5,000 vertically oriented panels instead of 5,000 horizontally oriented panels. They still have the ugliest, most warped font and this is still an ambitious, but unmitigated disaster. Grade D. Sgt. Rock feels like it's spinning it's wheels, the same basic thing happening for six issues now, though it does look like there's a big turn poised for next issue. Grade B. Flash Comics leads with really kinetic art and then follows with a twisty surprise with an accompanying Gorilla Grodd piece in place of the Iris West strip. This makes me wonder if there's a Wednesday Comics: Volume 2, will creators utilize this two strip per page format more? Here, it's a clever Grade B+. Demon & Catwoman makes me wonder what's happening. I have no idea what's going on. Do these two characters have any interaction, is it two alternating strips? Something about Etrigan and Morgaine... yeah... Grade C. Hawkman offers up an interesting premise with a stranded, depowered titular character and breathtaking art. Grade A. If we look at this holistically and build our visual stack again, it looks something like this;

Strange Adventures
Kamandi
Hawkman
Batman
Supergirl
Flash Comics
Sgt. Rock
Green Lantern
Metamorpho
Metal Men
Superman
Deadman
Demon & Catwoman
Teen Titans
Wonder Woman

The yield from this exercise is that 33% of the strips are in the top tier, 20% in the middle, and a whopping 47% at the bottom. As we hit the halfway mark, we're essentially seeing the rapid elimination of the middle class, a thinning top, and a growing bottom. Even with Supergirl making an anomalous jump and Batman sitting on the bubble, the trend holds. It's hard to judge an anthology in its entirety, but fair's fair. Averaging out the grading, we come in at a lackluster 72% for the entire affair, which is a C-. Yikes. Even if I generously add an entire letter grade for the format and support of Chiarello's experimental brainchild (which I feel is totally appropriate), we still only get a B- overall. The bottom rung is really weighing it down. Playing with the stats a bit, if we were to lose just the dead weight, say everything below Superman on that list, it jumps up to an 80% overall, which could then be adjusted up to a 90%, or Grade A- factoring in the experimentation. But, as is... Grade B-.

8.10.2009

Coming This Week: Mutant Killers on Wednesdays in the De-Militarized Zone

Every week I review Diamond's “New Releases” to determine what I’ll definitely be buying sight unseen, what I’m interested in enough to do a quick scan of at the LCS to see if it can win me over, and note any other items that catch my eye. Here’s a look…

Buying:

The Killer #10 (Archaia): Could it actually be the last issue of the Archaia book, nee: Archaia Studios Press (ASP), The Killer? I certainly hope so, though I’ve been unable to confirm via their always-out-of-date web-site. That’ll make it, let’s see… almost three years (first issue came out in December of ’06) to put out a 10 issue series which had already been translated and published in Belgium. Archaia now seems adamant about putting out the second hardcover this year as well.

Wednesday Comics #6 (DC): At this point, I’m basically just buying it for Strange Adventures, Batman, and Kamandi. And I’m ok with that. The rest is a bonus, and the experimental foray is commendable.

DMZ #44 (DC/Vertigo): Having devoured the first two Northlanders trades I picked up from Brian Wood at SDCC, I feel a sort of renewed appetite for his work.

Uncanny X-Men #514 (Marvel): Fraction's usually got some interesting things to say, I hope they're unfettered by the influence of Dark Utopia, err... is that even what it's called or did I just make that up by mixing two things? Umm, Dark Avengers. Dark X-Men. X-Men: Utopia. Oh, I give up, you know what I mean...

Considering:

Red Herring #1 (DC/Wildstorm): I’m not crazy about the concept, but the creative team of David “Bite Club” Tischman and Philip “Vimanarama” Bond is always worth a look.

Noting:

Stephen Colbert’s Tek Jansen HC (Oni Press): Yeah yeah yeah, I know the Writer’s Strike interrupted this, but sheesh, that’s two years (first issue came out in July of ’07) and change to collect 5 issues or something.

BPRD: 1947 #2 and Hellboy: Wild Hunt #5 (Dark Horse): I really lost my taste for all things Hellboy, it got so repetitive and unresolved for me, but it’s nice to see the titles continue to chug forward.

Sandman by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby HC (DC): Pretty cool to see a collection of the “brightly costumed adventurer” of the 1940’s finally collected in a massive 300+ page tome for only $39.99.

Kabuki Reflections #14 (Marvel/Icon): Snark on. What’s left to reflect on? Snark off. Don’t get me wrong, I love David Mack’s work, but he hasn’t been terribly prolific in the last few years, there just isn’t a lot of content left to examine the behind-the-scenes production on.

Lockjaw & The Pet Avengers #4 (Marvel): One of the most fun series Marvel has managed to put out in the last couple of years, with some really breathtaking art. Will probably plunk down for the eventual collected edition of this.

Sea Donkey Surprise:

Due to last week’s LCS follies, I’m still in need of Echo #14 (Abstract Studio), Frankenstein’s Womb (Avatar Press), and Dark Reign: Zodiac #2 (Marvel). Now you might ask what I want with that last title, but hey, it’s Joe Casey doing wild characterization and Nathan Fox's confectionary Pope-discipled art. Will these titles magically show up this week, a week late, as they are so often wont to inexplicably do? Stay tuned…

8.06.2009

8.05.09 Reviews

Greek Street #2 (DC/Vertigo): Peter Milligan and Davide Gianfelice have quickly created a book that intrigues me. It opens with a certain charm, like a siren luring you toward a perilous tale inside the book. It’s not afraid to ask the big questions (like how old do you want your new vagina to look) and is reminiscent of the movie Seven, the way it played with different scenes of the seven deadly sins, Greek Street plays with tragic vignettes with equal gusto. Grade A.

Invincible Iron Man #16 (Marvel): Madam Masque is an exceptionally creepy and sexual sociopath. It’s really a striking bit of characterization. Fraction’s script examines the notion of identity via organic conversations between Tony and Whitney, Tony and Pepper, Maria and Natasha, etc. Larroca’s reliance on photo-referencing has all but faded; he’s confident and adept at the big action scenes or the quiet emotive panels. This creative team has developed one of the definitive runs of this character. Grade A.

Wednesday Comics #5 (DC): Batman is really the only strip that’s getting noticeably better every single issue. Not only are the visuals stunning, but the characterization is extremely crisp, whether it was Gordon’s opening line, a wry Alfred in this issue, or a blonde bombshell in the last one. It swaggers with a subtle attitude and I love how this issue is basically a full page shot of the cave with several inset panels carrying the conversation forward. Grade A. The first panel of Kamandi has a sword, a motorcycle, a revolver, a bazooka, an ape, a tiger, horses, a damsel in distress, and an explosion. That is all you need to know. Grade A. The first issue of Superman had Superman fighting an alien, which made him feel like an alien. In the second issue, he talked to Batman, which made him feel like an alien. In the third issue he did something I can’t remember, but I’m guessing it probably made him feel like an alien. In the fourth issue, he talked to his adoptive parents, which made him feel like an alien. In this issue, he has a Kryptonian flashback, which made him feel like an alien. Oh, and it managed to re-tell his origin for the umpteenth time. I certainly hope that we’re going to get more than just 12 issues of the Superman-as-outsider motif. This is reading more like a random sampling of the Superman mythos than an actual story. I will say that it’s colored well, but it needs to get somewhere fast. Grade C. Deadman continues to be pretty generic and middling. He fights some demons. Grade C. Green Lantern offers up a very decompressed detour that explains a colloquialism. Grade B. Metamorpho provides a chemistry lesson and a Wonder Twins impersonation, but at least it’s finally doing something. Grade B. Teen Titans finally gets a POV character, but it’s a member of the damage control team(?) Awful lines like “My stupid teammate did something really stupid!” Like read this strip? Artistically, this is devoid of interest, it’s all plain lines in the foreground that lay flat against your eye. Grade C. Strange Adventures distills everything that’s trademark Paul Pope down to its very essence and mainlines a concentrated weekly shot right into your brain. It’s the "pretty girl" style he perfected for Kodansha, the dirty future tech moral quandary aesthetic that harkens back to Philip K. Dick, and the forward thinking Silver Age nods that remember their past, but transcend them. Grade A. Supergirl is not really for me, but it’s still done extremely well. It takes oodles of talent to make a plane crash seem cute and fun. Grade B. If the Metal Men line “I resemble that remark!” was a joke, then I didn’t get it since there’s no context for it. The art here is greater than the story it depicts. Grade B. Wonder Woman is consistent in that it has 67 panels which are unreadable incoherence using the worst possible font choice and punctuated by the same ol’ wake-up-at-the-end trick. One of those 67 panels is no bigger than the width of a pencil, it’s really ridiculous. Grade D. Is Sgt. Rock ever going to leave that room? Grade B. Of the two Flash Comics, I’m enjoying the melodrama of the Iris West strip more than the straight up Silver Age superheroics of the Flash. Grade B. Demon & Catwoman has no Catwoman, just the Demon. At this point, I wish it had neither and was just a blank page that I could draw my own comic on - sort of an interactive portion of the program. Grade D. Perhaps the best compliment I can pay Kyle Baker and Hawkman is that I can’t wait to see what he does next. Grade A. Overall, the mediocre strips are quickly pulling down the few great ones. Therefore, a waning Grade B.

Justice League: Cry for Justice #2 (DC): Ok, I couldn’t resist. And I just needed something to read after Sea Donkey dropped the ball on the couple of titles I was really looking forward to. See? No Warren Ellis? No Terry Moore? Then I have to buy this shit. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that Robinson was deliberately doing shlocky, campy, self-parody, tongue-in-cheek send up. Because, let’s face it, ever since we saw the spinal cock sheath over in The Boys, there’s nothing else you can really do with the superhero paradigm. It’s dead. So why not fuel blogger bile and give content for all of the entertaining remix wizards to play with? Some of my favorite bits, in no particular order;
  • Mention of a threesome with Hal, Huntress, and Lady Blackhawk
  • The “villians” typo
  • Congorilla vs. Mikaal for six pages, for no apparent reason
  • Mastery of the King’s English with lines like “You heal quickly quicker”
  • The Memphis Belle located in a deserted Blackhawk Hangar
  • Houngan’s “pickled toes”
  • Long Island Iced Teas and Gin Martinis
  • Hal and Ollie referring to eachother as “Green Lantern” and “Green Arrow,” with the quotes, because that’s how people talk
  • Washed out ruddy inking/coloring during the Ray Palmer/Jay Garrick scene
  • The weird three stooges guards
  • Out of order word balloons during the Atom/Hal/Ollie conversation
  • Javelin’s Freudian projectile hitting Supergirl’s tits
  • Jean Loring a “bitch” for cheating, probably because of “headaches… in the bedroom”

As faux superhero, genre parody, comedy genius, this is a Grade B. But as an earnest superhero comic? Grade D.

The Continuing Adventures of Sea Donkey


The proprietor of my LCS, aka: Sea Donkey, has pulled some more astounding maneuvers this week. Let’s take a look, shall we?

Terry Moore’s Echo #14 (Abstract Studio): With his track record, I guess I can sort of understand why Sea Donkey wouldn’t have this title given his proclivities to avoid anything smacking of the small press. But… you have all of the SiP trades over there. You have the first Echo trade. I’ve bought most of the other issues from you. I guess unless I’m waiting outside the store like a stalker at 10:59am ready to rush in and push three other people out of the way in order to get the one copy of this book you ordered, I’ll miss it. Jackass.

Frankenstein’s Womb (Avatar Press): Hello, Warren Ellis wrote this. Hello, Warren Ellis is only like one of the hottest writers in the last ten years. Hello, I bought Crecy from you. Hello, I bought Aetheric Mechanics from you. Hello, it’s the same writer. Hello, it’s the same company. Why wouldn’t you order this as well? Hello.

Doom Patrol #1 (DC): I don’t have anything too snarky to add here, as I probably wouldn’t have bought this book anyway, but I just happened to notice you didn’t have this book on the shelves either. It’s a new #1 from Keith Giffen. No, nothing marketable there. Dumb. As usual, my conversation goes a little something like this;

Me: Hey, did you guys get Echo or what?
Sea Donkey: Umm, uhh, I don’t think so.

Really, you don’t think so? What part of it being nowhere in your store makes you uncertain? To add insult to injury, I went to another LCS that’s probably tied with one other for worst store in San Diego. I hate this store, but it’s on my way home so I thought I’d give it a shot. They surprisingly had some back issues of Echo, but not the new #14. Though I did overhear this little diatribe;

Customer: Do you have the second DMZ trade?
Register Jock: Umm, uhh, is that book even out yet?
Customer: Yeah, I think so.
Register Jock: Oh, I’m not sure it is.
Me (Interjecting): Yeah, it is. It’s called Body of a Journalist. The first five or six trades are already out.
Register Jock: Oh… well, we don’t have it.
Customer: Oh.
Me: You can probably find it at the Barnes & Noble just down the street.
Customer: Cool. Thanks.

Anyway, it’s basically days like this that make me want to not do comics anymore. These days it seems like a lot of effort, a considerable amount of money, and diminishing enjoyment.

8.03.2009

Graphic Novel Of The Month

Asterios Polyp (Pantheon): I was reading some Roger Ebert essays the other day and came across one of his basic litmus tests for critiquing a film. He explained that in order to quickly eliminate the mediocre from the ridiculously high volume of films he must endure, he uses this technique as a basic sorting filter. Essentially, you take everything you are as a person, along with all of the films you’ve previously consumed, into the theatre with you. You watch the film and then simply decide if anything’s changed for you as a person, either for you intrinsically or for your external world view. That’s it. He notes that the older you are and the more films you’ve experienced, the game changes because you’re taking more in with you at the onset. Naturally, my mind seized on this methodology and how it could be applied to the large number of comics I read; I found myself applying it to David Mazzucchelli’s Asterios Polyp, the first graphic novel from a creator who’s been working in the medium for years, known to most for his work on Daredevil and Batman. It has certainly escaped classification as anything remotely mediocre and lingered with me days after reading it. I find myself remembering passages, still trying to analyze and decipher meaning long after I’ve put it down. It’s caused me to observe my own actions and interactions with people a little more closely. It seems that I’m probably the last reviewer on the interwebs to write about Asterios Polyp, the New York Times even got in on the action, but it does deserve the widespread attention and highlighting as a Graphic Novel of the Month. The themes of isolation, completion, and balance run rampant through the work, best evidenced visually by the yin/yang symmetry of the living and deceased twins, best evidenced spiritually by the ever-present kinship of Asterios’ deceased brother. To say that Mazzucchelli’s art is energetic would be an understatement. The book literally opens with a scene of a lighting strike, imbuing the story with life, with a charge, setting events into motion. From there, we see an outline of a figure following Asterios through life like a shadow, and even when it’s not there, he’ll invent it with technology to maintain the comforting illusion for himself. Is his brother’s presence a simple companion like a guardian angel, is it an echo of a life that could have or would have been, or something more sinister? The book doesn’t necessarily answer the many questions it poses, but illuminates them in a thought-provoking way for the duration of the tale. When Asterios meets Hana, he’s depicted as a blue form, her as red matter, and when their figures overlap they form a more complete figure – almost like emotional content filling an empty vessel – symbolic of their physical union and eventual ongoing relationship. Mazzucchelli’s art is full of clean expressive lines and tiny details that make a world of difference. Whether it’s small speed lines to provide a sense of motion for a cat jumping or the tiny motion lines around a taut nipple emphasizing breasts bouncing during sex, the scenes would be lifeless without them. Artistically, there’s an ingenious sequence of three running threads that are set off horizontally across the page, tracking memories. Along with a set of standing figures that show an ideological continuum from white to black, these are pages that would make Scott McCloud proud in their ability to make us understand comics intuitively. I found the diversity of the art offered wonderful, some pages with panels, some without, different fonts, free floating text and images, caption boxes and word balloons being traded back and forth. Most of Mazzucchelli’s panels are extremely sparse, with lots of white background space intentionally left blank. I found it fitting that contemporary artist Mark Rothko was mentioned during a bit of dialogue (also found myself wondering if Rothko’s real world suicide was not another layer of commentary about the “death of self” that Asterios describes in relation to his brother). Having stood before some of Rothko’s larger works at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles, it becomes quite clear that you can use extremely sparse shapes and a limited color palette for the most dramatic emotional impact. As Asterios himself says, “anything that’s not functional becomes decorative.” Veering away from the art and considering the more subtle ideas at work, some interesting things pop up. One of the symmetrical notions involves balance and competing systems. Notice when Asterios’ apartment is on fire and he must leave quickly, he grabs three items. Does he opt for the pragmatic or the sentimental? What does this say about his character? Later we discover him giving away some of those objects, but keeping one in particular. What does this say about the value he places in each? Rather than answering these questions, what I found myself doing was asking myself the same questions. What would I choose? What would I do? What would I say? Like any great art, it causes an introspective reaction. I find myself telling this to people all the time at the museum when they ask about “good” art or what a piece “means.” It doesn’t tell you what to think. It asks what you think. Mazzucchelli proves that he also has a keen awareness of psychological drivers. When the Hana character is introduced, we learn all we need to know about her psychosis; it’s revealed effectively in just a few lines of dialogue about her birth spoiling a party and her attempts to live up to her brothers. She lives out the rest of her life attempting to compensate for these past perceived transgressions; it even affects her relationship with the titular character and the manner in which they choose to argue. As a “paper architect,” a piece of Asterios’ existence is not very enduring, it’s literally paper thin. As someone who searches for something tangible and lasting in his life, it was delightful to see him helping build a tree house for Jackson. On Asterios’ personal little quest, we see Mazzucchelli play with non-linear time, embed interesting commentary about sexual politics, and find intellectual stimulation through abstract thought. It’s interesting that this quest for man-made excellence and non-natural academic quandaries consumes so much of the book and Asterios’ life, yet the story is bookended by two very natural events. There’s the initial lighting strike, the giver of life and energy, balanced perfectly against the cataclysmic life-ending meteor at the end, dueling alpha and omega events, symbolic of birth and death. Along with the peaks and valleys of Hana’s unpredictable love, Asterios is ultimately taught emotional humility in the face of his intellectual arrogance. Like Skyscrapers of the Midwest and Bottomless Belly Button last year, I foresee Asterios Polyp being a strong contender for many eventual best of the year lists in 2009. It’s quite an achievement in craftsmanship, the way the book is so deliberately and carefully constructed to emphasize layers of meaning. Grade A.

Coming This Week: Echo, Lots of Maybes, and Something About Jennifer Grey

Every week I review Diamond's “New Releases” to determine what I’ll definitely be buying sight unseen, what I’m interested in enough to do a quick scan of at the LCS to see if it can win me over, and note any other items that catch my eye. Here’s a look…

Buying:

Echo #14 (Abstract Studio): Word from SDCC is that this might be getting optioned for a movie deal. Regardless, one of the best comics being published at the moment.

Wednesday Comics #5 (DC): Not without its problems, but still something I very much look forward to. Will Batman continue the sexual innuendo, will Superman cry more to his parents, will Paul Pope continue to astound, will Metamorpho actually do anything?

Invincible Iron Man #16 (Marvel): Hey, Matt Fraction! I think this guy has a potential career in comics.

Considering:

Greek Street #2 (DC/Vertigo): Not entirely enamored of the first issue, but nice art and the story showed potential.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? #2 (Boom!): Not convinced on the viability of the adaptation format, but hey, essay by some guy named Matt Fraction.

Justice League: Cry for Justice #2 (DC): This is one of those titles that I honestly don’t like, yet I’m foolishly tempted to buy it just so I can mockingly review it. Maybe it’s so bad that I’ll enjoy it, like watching Dirty Dancing. "Nobody puts Baby in the corner!"

Noting:

Pax Romana TPB: Volume 1 (Image): Probably my favorite of the Jonathan Hickman projects, particularly in terms of high concept. Interesting that this is solicited as “Volume 1,” insinuating there may be future volumes.

Doom Patrol #1 (DC): It’s been tried and re-tried, but with Keith Giffen, Kevin Maguire, and J.M. DeMatteis involved, it may pass the casual flip test at the LCS.

Red Circle: The Hangman #1 (DC): …and away we go with the JMS reimaging of the Red Circle properties. The Bill Sienkiewicz art could make this interesting.

Cars I've (Wished I'd) Owned (Part 14 of 14)


2009 BMW M5
Aka: “The Most Likely”

The E38 M5 from 1998 to 2003 really stepped up the game with a 5.0 liter 400hp V8 and low slung graceful looks, but this E60 chassis, 7-speed V10 (from 2005 to Present) with 500hp, designed by American born (first time in BMW’s history that a non-German was appointed Head Designer) Chris Bangle takes it to another level. The perfect balance of agility and speed, performance and style, in your face looks and refined drivability – all mysteriously, impeccably, and lusciously at once. It’ll smoke just about anything else on the road, but you can still throw the in-laws or kids in the back seat when duty calls. What my next car will most probably be once the Benz is retired in a few years.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this self-indulgent diversion. We now return to your regularly scheduled programming.

Cars I've (Wished I'd) Owned (Part 13 of 14)


2009 Maserati Quattroporte
Aka: “The Dream”

Yes, for only $130,000 you too can own the Pininfarina designed, Ferrari engined, spectacle of Italian design and performance that is the Maserati Quattroporte. I see these roll through La Jolla all the time (thanks to one of California’s only dealers being right here in town) and I love them. For the six figure price tag, you get a 4.2 liter, 400hp, 0-60 in 5.5 second engine, topping out at 167mph. It’s got near perfect (47% to 53%, front to rear) weight distribution. It’s a 6-speed V8 that still manages to get 20mpg – all crazy specs for a car weighing 4,000 pounds. There is nothing like that Maserati Trident emblem. This car is ridiculous.